An Easy Applesauce Cake Recipe
Who can resist a simple, flavorful, homestyle cake just like Grandma would have made? This cake is just that! It’s brimming with applesauce, generously speckled with warm spices throughout, there’s just enough sweetness, and it’s all balanced with a rich cream cheese frosting to polish it off. It’s an autumn cake worthy of celebrations, bringing to the holiday dinner parties, nice for gifting, or just a great applesauce snack cake to have in the fridge to enjoy after dinner throughout the week. You’ll find it’s so good in fact that it really doesn’t even need a frosting if you aren’t feeling up to it. That’s right, a cake so good you can even skip the frosting! A luscious cake that will have you savoring every tempting bite!
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Applesauce Cake Recipe Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
2 1/4 cups (318 g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure) 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground allspice 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar (break up any clumps with fingertips) 2 large eggs 2 cups unsweetened applesauce 3/4 cup (175 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil 1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 oz. cream cheese, nearly at room temperature 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract
See below for printable recipe in recipe box.
How to Make Applesauce Cake
How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
How to Store Applesauce Spice Cake
Due to it’s high moisture content and cream cheese frosting applesauce cake is best stored in the fridge. We actually love this cake cold and it can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, but if preferred you can bring to room temperature before serving. Another option is to freeze the unfrosted cake, wrapped in foil, for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw then frost, slice and serve.
Can it be made without a hand mixer?
Yes, if you don’t have a hand mixer you can also make this cake by hand using a whisk. You’ll just need to whisk the egg and sugar by hand for about 4 minutes until it’s fluffier.
Helpful Tips for the Best Applesauce Cake
Applesauce notes: Don’t use sweetened applesauce since it has added sugars and might make the cake a bit too sweet. I like to look for an applesauce without added water for more apple flavor. Use smooth, not chunky applesauce. Weigh ingredients: If you have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend using it for this recipe (and almost all baking recipes when possible). I love this one HERE. If you don’t have a scale, be sure to use the scoop and level method for measuring the flour as that is what I used to make this recipe. Quick chill frosting: With cream cheese frosting, I like to freeze it in a few 3 minute intervals (stir between each) before frosting the cake so it’s a little more firm.
Possible Variations
Nuts: If preferred, you could add chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) or raisins to the batter. Or finished the frosted cake with chopped nuts. Frosting: Try a different frosting. A caramel (you won’t need to use up the whole batch) or browned butter frosting would be other tasty options. Spices: Include other spices such as cloves and cardamom for an even more well spiced flavor. If you don’t have all the spices listed you can use 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice. Apples: To add more apple flavor, add freeze dried apple slices that have been pulverized to a fine powder to the frosting (use a few tablespoons powder). Substitute butter: I’ve also made this cake with melted butter in place of the vegetable oil and it’s another delicious option (I just love the super moist and slightly fluffier crumb when using the vegetable oil option).
More Tempting Apples Desserts to Try
Apple Crisp Apple Galette Apple Upside Down Cake Dutch Apple Pie Easy Caramel Apples
